WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR FEBRUARY

genann

My daughter just went on a Low Carb Diet. Is anyone doing this? Does it work for you? Please give me your opinions as I'm thinking about it too.

I have done it in the past. It enabled me to lose 36 lbs, and then regain 45!!! I LIKE carbs. All carbs are not bad. Veggies (non starchy low glycemic ones) are good sources, as are fruits. Whole grains. Processed carbs are the kind to avoid.

When I started my lifestyle change last April, I knew that there was no point in starting an extreme program that I could not follow indefinitely, as it would just lead to binging and falling off the wagon and backsliding. Watching my calories, logging my foods and exercise, and monitoring my fat and sodium intake while making sure I consume sufficient fiber have worked great for me. Others may need to monitor sugar or other factors, depending on their health needs.

The point I am making is that MFP is a great tool, and you can still be very successful at winning the "losing game" without setting yourself up for failure by following an eating plan that is not something you can sustain indefinitely.

I have read comments from people on low carb who swear they can eat that way for life, and if they can, great--I wish them every success. There are others with specific dietary restrictions, (ie diabetics) that have to treat carbs in particular and dieting in general differently than those who don't have that issue. My comments are not directed toward these folks.

I can't personally recommend low carb as a permanent weight loss solution. You will probably lose on it, but KEEPING IT OFF can be a different story.

Good luck,

Barb

:flowerforyou: Thanks for your response :flowerforyou:

I've decided to stay with the calorie counting. The more I think about it, I love bread and potatoes. I really think I need to lose weigh while eating them. I cannot see myself giving them up for over a week, so I guess I wouldn't do very good on the low carbs.

vickim26

susie that is where I am right now. the carb monster is attacking. how did you manage to curb the cravings. I would appreciate some info. I am really struggling. thanks.
Vicki M

MacMadame

If my carbs go over 175-200 g a day, I start craving all sorts of inappropriate junk. So it's actually easy for me to limit carbs because I don't crave them when I limit them.

barbiecat

:flowerforyou: Just a quick note

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Jake's mom died today:brokenheart: :sad: ----he knew when he visited her in October that it would be the last time they spent together so he seemed OK with the news today

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then in the middle of the afternoon his defibrillator went off again and he ended up with five paramedics in the house, an ambulance ride, and a few hours in the emergency room

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nothing seemed to be wrong but he has an appointment with the cardiologist on Friday ( a great blessing that the cardiologist will be here this week so we don't have to make the two hour drive/ferry ride to Seattle)......I was at the dog park when this happened and the dogs were good sports about getting their play cut short so we could go home......I had high hopes for great exercise today and had added peanut butter to my morning shake so I'll probably be over my calories for the day......but at least all my eating was healthy and I drank all my water.:drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

when we got home from the hospital our wonderful neighbor was there feeding the dogs while talking on her cell phone

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her step daughter had been taken to the hospital and her 13 year old granddaughter was hysterical

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: This was supposed to be the day where I worked on the income tax:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: should know better than to make plans for my day

someone said that if you're going to laugh about this later, why not start now, so I'm laughing and I hope you are too:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: hugs Barbie

exermom

dvincent - I got a senior discount card to one of the local grocery stores even before I was 55! I'm hoping that some of that was because I had the broken bone. Can I ask you something about the fibromyalgia? A lady has told me she has it, but I suspect she's using that as an excuse not to do certain things because every time, except for once, that I've seen her, she hasn't been in pain. I remember working with a woman who had fibro, and she had her good days but then on other days she could barely move around. That's what leads me to think this woman is using this as an excuse. How does it feel?

Barb - so sorry to hear about your troubles, and your mom on top of that, just what you needed! I'll be thinking and praying for you.

Did an hour of the Wii balance games. Hey, does anybody else do them? The game where you are on the snowboard. I can't seem to figure that one out. I finally got the downhill skiing game figured out -- you need to go thru all the sets of flags, not just one color. Is that the same way with the snowboard? I seem to like the penguin game where you have to catch the fish. At the end I usually do a bit of the zen meditation. I've deceided that next Fri I'll do some of the hula hoop games on the WiiFit. Haven't done them in a while. Originally, I was going to do some spinning (I have these downloadable workouts), but it's been longer since I've hula hooped than since I've spun, so that's what I'm going to do. As you can tell, I try to map out the week before what type of exercise I'll do each day. Still haven't decided on what I'll do Thurs. I know that I would like to do some sort of weight training. I got a Biggest Loser DVD, I may give that a try. I think if I do all the workouts, it comes to something like 45 minutes.

I just made these butterscotch bars to take with me to the Y tomorrow. One day each month we have a celebration for everyone whose birthdays was that month. The good thing is that I make them and then leave them for the people at the Y to finish up. But at least I get a taste. If they turn out pretty good, then I'll make some for the daughter of the gal who cuts my hair. The daughter works at the salon and I know she likes butterscotch.

Vicki - I know you can lose the weight, you are very determined.

My cousin would go to see her MIL in a nursing home. Her MIL was like 92. One day her third son (my cousins's hubby) died. They never told her. How do you possibly tell someone that they outlived all their children? Whenever she'd ask "where is Joe", Patty would tell her something like "oh, he's cutting the grass" or "he was here earlier, don't you remember?" To me, that was kinder than telling her

Welcome barty!

Rebel - your dress sounds beautiful!

Janine - have you ever had sweet tea? Talk about A LOT of sugar. Do you know that I've been in NC for 2 years now and have never once had sweet tea. I understand it has something like 1-1/2 cups of sugar in it. Yuk if you ask me!

Barb - I like your recipe for the breakfast. Carbs and protein, that's for me! Wonder what Bob Green would have to say about Oprah's chocolate set???

Did an hour of deep water class today (Mon), so far I've had 112oz of water.

suzzzque - any tips on how you tamed that carb momster? I know that if I let myself go, I can easily become a carb addict. I admit, I do have carbs in the form of fruits, but if I let myself go on cakes or muffins, I can easily fall into that trap. How did you do it?

gennan - I'm with you. There is no way on this green earth that I can do the South Beach Diet. Give up my fruit for two weeks! I don't think so. White flour, that I can give up, but don't think about taking away my fruit. The lady who teaches my water aerobics class is on the SBD, she just started. When I mentioned to her that I don't think I could give up my fruit, she just said "well, it's only for two weeks". To me, that would be two weeks from h***

oh, barbiecat, prayers for Jake and your family. I know how tough that can be. About your plans: I remember a saying "if you want to make God laugh, make a plan"

Michele

mynyddisamrs

Good morning all.... :ohwell: cold, windy and grey here. What a difference the sunshine makes eh?
:frown: I was feeling a bit down today until I logged in here .... thanks again guys for being here! We've all got things to drag us down but ...:flowerforyou: with all the help and loads of hugs on this thread it ...we can only win through. I was going to write ... we can't lose can we? ... But WE CAN and I CAN!!!
:devil: I think I have that Carb monster in my house too .... and the boredom monster ! If it was later on in the year with warmer, lighter evenings I could sit in the conservatory and do some painting ....:laugh: drawback to that is I'd also fancy that nicely chilled glass of wine to smooth the brush over the paper!!
:ohwell: Probably feeling low 'cos DH has said we should go on an economy drive!! :bigsmile: Good job I got the cruise frocks then!!!! These saving sprees only last for so long and we get back to our happy selves!! :glasses: Still I've just managed to "save" £18 per month by cancelling the monthly contact lenses I signed up for last November. I had them in today and finally got fed up of being unable to read the newspaper ... obviously not quite right. As said before ..when they're in I can see all those awful wrinkles that are hidden by glasses. :glasses: Mine need to be rose coloured most of the time !!!So let it be!!
:frown: Anyway ..off to the dentist today and then...:bigsmile: to have my hair done...oops! another "luxury" ...Not if you can see my hair it's not!!

Be good folks
Back tomorrow
Jackie

profjan6

New here....hello everyone! Just joined and I must say I am a bit overwhelmed by all the success!! You are all doing so well, and since I am just starting I feel out of the loop! Anyway, would like to be able to go through this with others. Seems like this message board is quite active so I am looking forward to being a part of that! I have a lot to lose! I have been down this road before like many others, and have tried many different things. One big problem is that we go out a lot and that is always so difficult. Who wants to chomp on salad while everyone else is eating the fun stuff!? I would really like to buckle down and get to business. I have been losing very slowly and am not pleased with that. Thanks for reading this! Nice to "meet" you all.

treesie

Hello everyone I am new to this posting thingy, but I read some of your posts and it actually inspired me to give it a try. I have been working on losing weight....all my life! But since I found the calorie counter I've been trying harder. I tend to lose but then gain it back. I have a lot to lose, over a hundred pounds actually, and I have problems with my hip so the exercise I do is water aerobics. I also have a huge sweet tooth! But I am going to rely on God and hopefully some new friends to encourage me and see me through this time all the way to my goal! Well I've just finished my breakfast and I'm going to go start my day. I hope all of you have a wonderful day!

vickim26

Good morning ladies,
Barbie, please pass on the Jake how sorry I am for his loss. Losing you mom is just awful. I lost mine 8 years ago and I miss her every day. kenneth still has his mom but she has been going through some things lately and I thought she would live forever but now not sure. She seems to be losing her zest for life. Even though he seems okay he is not. Tell him it is okay to cry a lot and to miss his mom. I know you will take great care of him.
I have a new plan. I went to Sam's last night and got me some good groceries. Even though I will have to go back. They were out of chicken breasts. Not a one in the store. Anwyway, I am going to log on to fitness pal first thing each morning and log my food for the day ahead of time and stick to what I have logged. I think that will help me to have a plan. Sometimes my downfall is that I am not sure what to eat. Hopefully this can get me back on track and tame those sweet monsters and carb monsters. Have a good day ladies.
Vicki M

AliceLMS

Barbie and Jake, I am so sorry for your loss. I know we all think we are prepared for the loss of our parents, but somehow we never are. Prayers for you both.

mamacindy81

Morning Girls!

I hope everyone is planning on having a good day with wise choices! I always start out with the best of intentions and my aim is to carry that on through the day!

Barbie: Tell Jake, I am sorry for his loss and I will say a prayer of comfort for him. I don't know how we will feel when Granny finally takes that journey. It's been almost 15 years since her Alzheimer's diagnosis. That the average life span but I told my husband that I'm shooting for 20! Even though she can't talk anymore we always wonder what she is thinking. This morning she just laughed out loud about something. She has her happy moments!

Everyone else I haven't spoken to directly, Have a great day!

Cindy

vickim26

Off tobring the gilrs to school I did 15 min on the ellipitical while waiting to bring them 140 calories burned. it is a start.
vicki m

Laura80111

:flowerforyou: Good Morning All!

Only have time to say Hi as work is crazy busy and we have a noon deadline to meet, yesterday was very stressful:sad: and the heartburn got me:grumble: , but I felt better after I got home (probably because I left the stress at work ) and spent some time on the bike.

Barbie so sorry to hear about all your trials...but yes:laugh: :laugh: keep your chin up! Sending prayers to Jake for his loss:flowerforyou:

Welcome to the new ones, this is a great place to find encouragement.

Everyone have a good day and keep burning those calories!

Laura

AHealthierSuzyQ

Losing your Mom is tough. Deepest sympathies to Jake. Mine passed 2 years ago this week and some days it is still fresh. As my Daddy said till his dying day, "Your Mother is the best friend you'll ever have."

Susie, that is where I am right now. the carb monster is attacking. how did you manage to curb the cravings. I would appreciate some info. I am really struggling. thanks.
Vicki M

Suzzzque - any tips on how you tamed that carb monster? I know that if I let myself go, I can easily become a carb addict. I admit, I do have carbs in the form of fruits, but if I let myself go on cakes or muffins, I can easily fall into that trap. How did you do it?
Michele

First let me pop your bubble. Taming the carb monster is NEVER fun, but it is rewarding. I have learned the hard way that certain foods trigger the desire for even more and for me that is always simple carbs. So perhaps I should begin by making sure you understand the difference between simple carbs and complex carbs.

What are simple carbs? Most anything refined until its white: sugar, white flour, and things made with them like candy, syrups, ice cream and soda. They are absorbed quickly -- just think how fast sugar-based candy melts in your mouth. Simple carbs also include foods such as fruit and milk. These are better sources of simple carbs because they contain vitamins and fiber, and also important nutrients that your body needs, like calcium.

I try to only eat complex carbs: whole grain bread and pasta, oatmeal, brown rice, and most vegetables. They take the longest to digest. and don't seem to make me crave more and more.

If I stick to my eating plan 60% of my diet is complex carbs with a bit of fruit and cheese thrown in. I don't eat potatoes, corn, bread, pasta or sweets at all 6 days a week, but allow myself a few bites on Sundays as part of a meal IF I TRULY WANT IT. (These are my trigger foods.) I have learned a few things I can eat as substitutions when I crave chocolate, but thats another post...

:drinker: AS TO HOW I tame the monster, much of it involves saying no to the cravings and finding something else to do away from food. Ask yourself if you are TRULY hungry or is it just head hunger? Whe I'm truly hungry and craving carbs, eating half an apple dipped in peanut butter helps me. Going for a walk or riding my bike helps me get my mind going another direction if it is just head hunger.

Something else that helps me is eating only fruit, nuts and vegetables, and drinking only water for several days. This helps cleanse your system quickly of overindulgence if you can stand to do it. Eating an avocado is a good substitute for meat on those days.

If you are like me, and have little to no will power, then the cure is more distasteful: organic apple cider vinegar, but it REALLY works. (This is what I had to do this time.) Take a teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar immediately before or after every meal or snack. Somehow it neutralizes the sugars and kills the cravings for carbs. After a few weeks, you should notice you no longer crave them and can cut back to only taking it when you know you'll be eating lots of carbs. The vinegar tastes nasty but I chase it with a cup of very cold water. (To me a spoonful of something bitter is better than trying to drink a lot of something I put it in.)

Once you get the carb monster back under control, make it a practice NEVER to eat simple carbs on an empty stomach or alone (without eating protein too) and stay away from fruit juice. If you do, you will reawaken all those cravings again. There are many things you can eat as a substitute for all that junk, that are low carb, low cal and still tasty and MFP is a great place to learn about them.

Hope this helps you Vicky and Michele :flowerforyou:

vickim26

Thanks a bunch susie,
I knew all of this but just needed a big reminder. I do know that my trigger foods are carbs. I just needed someone to help me recognize this again. Thanks a bunch. The vinegar really does work. I am doing that again. I will let you know when I get the monster tamed again.
Vicki M

vickim26

It is me again. I just wanted to post to keep myself honest. sorry if you get tired of hearing from me. I ate a large salad for lunch made at home. no dressing. Now I am off to the gym before I go pick up the girls. going out to eat tonight but already have my food logged. I know exactly what I will get and what I will eat.
Vicki M

heartrw

Sympathy and prayers for Jake, and you too Barbie. Losing a mother is tough. No matter how old or feeble they've become, you still miss them when they go.:sad:

Hope everyone has a good day. Welcome to the two new posters, profjan6 and treesie!!

Terri

plantlady99

My Dad is coming home today from Tuffs Medical. He will go to a rehab in town. We are so happy he will be closer to home

zaza54

Barbie, so sorry to read about Jake's mother. My sympathies to you both.
How is Jake doing now? That must have been very scary for both of you. My htoughts are with you.

Kathy, I'm glad that your dad is closer to home. Eveyrone has so much to contend with. Hope a shorter commute helps.

Hello to everyone else. Only had a mintue to skim the posts. Haven't had much access to the computer yesterday or today (my husband and visiting son needed it).
Zaza

BirdieM

Welcome profjan and treesie! :flowerforyou: Hope this website helps you as much as it has me!:flowerforyou:

On a more somber note......I join with all those who offered their condolences to Jake & Barbie.:brokenheart:

Hang in there everyone! Make this moment a good one....and keep repeating it till the end of time!!!

BirdieM:smooched: